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Aussie dream-folksters, The Paper Kites have today delivered their most aesthetically pleasing video yet for their hazy heartwarmer, Renegade, directed by the renowned Dan Huiting (Bon Iver). To celebrate the clip, and the success of their critically acclaimed LP, twelvefour, the band have also announced their Midnight national tour, kicking off at Enmore Theatre in Sydney on June 23, moving through Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and wrapping in Adelaide at the Norwood Town Hall on July 2.

Off the back of a #8 ARIA album and #1 ARIA Australian album chart debut for their all-nighter of an album, twelvefour, The Paper Kites are thrilled to complete their Midnight video trilogy of late-night stories with the nostalgic, Renegade. Also including ethereal videos for two other tracks off the album, Electric Indigo and Revelator Eyes, the trilogy portrays stories that are set between the hours of 12 and 4am; different cities, different people, but all taking place within this transient timeframe.

Adhering to the theme, Renegade follows a gang of kids who break into an aquatic cinema, La Cinequatic, in the early hours of the morning. Taking inspiration for the video trilogy from imaginary places and those late-night hours, lead singer Sam Bentley says, “It’s been really cool actually seeing these places on screen in the videos and people watching and asking us where they can find them – I think the idea was to create places that we would love to go to.” The vibrant concept was brought to life by director Dan Huiting and his team, alongside a real-life gang of kids as the video’s cast. Bentley enthuses, “He has such a great team (Joseph McMahon, Harry Reynolds) and they all just tackle every challenge with such enthusiasm… he knew a local skate crew of young kids that he wanted to use for the video – it worked out perfectly.”

To celebrate the clip, The Paper Kites will be bringing their theatrical Midnight tour to major venues across the country. Further cementing the relationship between music and film, the Midnight tour is set to be an immersive experience unlike any other, a journey through the midnight hours, as Bentley describes, “We perform the music and behind us are a group of apartment windows. Through the windows, a series of stories play out in the lives of different people…we provide the soundtrack to a single night, the audience watching through the dim lit windows and seeing these stories progress, eventually fading to darkness.”

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. “One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego. “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. “This same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old chief simply replied, “The one you feed.”

That Cherokee proverb means a lot to Gabriel Vargas. This introspective Native American influence weaves itself throughout his daily life and within his important new release, Like Wolves – a song that traverses the tenacity of old wounds and turning victimhood into empowerment, out March 2. He has also released an accompanying video that captures the true, undeniable beauty in the way that humans are able to grow and move past traumatic events. Gabriel Vargas will be launching his stunning new offering at Melbourne’s Croxton Front Bar on March 17.

Like Wolves is all-encompassing, and it’s not often that a song that carries such weight is put out into the world. The music itself is superb – alternative indie at its finest – yet it is so much more than the sum of its musical parts, as Vargas explains, “Like Wolves is not only a single release in the physical sense but also a cathartic release spiritually and emotionally…it feels like slowly removing the bandage of an old wound – the marks of the past are still there, but there is a newfound strength and hope for the future.” Vargas also opens up about the deeply personal influence behind the song, saying, “Initially, it was written about a disagreement I had with my mother, which really was a by-product of a much larger energetic shift and recalibration happening within my family. In 2009 my step-father committed suicide and that had thrown the family dynamic into a bit of a tailspin whereby other revelations came to surface…including that of sexual abuse, of which I and my sister were directly affected by (I prefer not to use the word “victim” as it implies helplessness and it is something which has now been integrated and transformed into “empowerment”). So, this whole period really required the stripping away of a facade which had been outwardly projected as a “picture perfect family” …and with that came the inevitable arguments and disagreements, as we all went through a metamorphisis both collectively and individally. For me, this whole process conjured up the spiritual image of fire and the burning of the old to welcome the new…and understanding the “wolves” that we each hide behind..which was based on an old Cherokee Proverb Two Wolves.”

The distinctive Cherokee influence is evident not only on the track, through the inclusion of exquisite Native American flute melodies, but also within the breathtaking clip that accompanies Like Wolves. Conceptualised by Ian Ritter, directed and edited by brothers Matt and Trevor Holcomb, whose short film Flat Daddy was nominated for AACTA’s Best Short Film of 2014, and starring Vargas’ younger sister Raquel and her partner Marlon Castilho, and longtime friend and collaborator Red Horse, the clip follows the story of a young woman who leaves an abusive relationship and, throughout her journey to freedom, is guided by the spirit of Red Horse. Red Horse, through dance and ceremony, evokes the courageous spirit of the wolf which signals the beginning of the woman’s newfound empowerment.

Gabriel Vargas is looking forward to launching the track at the Croxton Front Bar in Melbourne on March 17, and fans can expect a deeply effecting, skillful performance from the seasoned artist – and Like Wolves is not only a significant moment for Vargas as that artist, but as a man. Due to the familial and personal connection to the subject matter of this release, he has decided to donate all profits from the online sales of Like Wolves to the The White Ribbon Foundation.Like Wolves will be released on March 2 and is available to pre-order now.

After wowing audiences with two new tracks from the highly anticipated sophomore album Langata at the tail-end of 2018, Crooked Colours have announced that they will be bringing their unique brand of electronic dance music to audiences all around the country throughout April and May 2019, before heading overseas for a run of exclusive dates in June. Fresh from closing out stages across the country for St. Jeromes Laneway Festival, the group will be joining the party at renowned Aussie festival Groovin’ The Moo, before embarking on their biggest headline shows to date. Groovin’ will see the band moving through regional towns Wayville, Maitland, Canberra, Bendigo, Townsville and Bunbury, while the headline tour will hit metro venues Unibar in Hobart, Metropolis in Fremantle, The Tivoli in Brisbane, Coolangatta Hotel on the Gold Coast, Enmore Theatre in Sydney, and wrapping up at the iconic Forum Theatre in Melbourne on May 25. Joining Crooked Colours on the headline dates will be fellow triple j faves Nyxen and Kayex.

Crooked Colours, consisting of members Philip Slabber, Leon De Baughn and Liam Merrett-Park, burst onto the scene in 2013 with breakout singles Come Down, Capricious and Another Way, earning three consecutive #1’s on Hype Machine and gaining a solid fanbase around the world. The result of a patient approach from an act determined to create a timeless debut, their album Vera released in2017demonstrated diverse and layered productions from a breed proving themselves as one of Australia’s hottest rising acts in electronic music today. Hit singles Flow, I Hope You Get It and Come Back To You were been picked up by radio stations and press around the world such as Radio 1, Eins Live, triple j, Majestic Casual to name a few. To date, the band has had over 50 million streams on their debut accompanied by award winning music videos for all previously released singles.

With new tracks from the trio I’ll Be There and Do It Like You gaining rapid momentum towards the end of 2018 and into 2019, the mysterious second LP from Crooked Colours, entitled Langata, is expected to drop just before they hit the road for what will be their biggest Australian tour ever. Thrilled about the upcoming dates, Crooked Colours’ Philip enthuses, “We’re so excited about our upcoming headline shows – we get to curate the night, design the lighting and visuals, and play a full length set with music. We always play tracks stretching from our first ever release Come Down, through our debut album Vera, and now we’ll also be showcasing brand new music from our forthcoming album Langata.”

After taking Australia by storm with their ambitious and impressive new live show, Crooked Colours will be heading overseas to perform at some of the hottest festivals in the world, including Bonaroo and Firefly festivals, plus more. Crooked Colours have established themselves as one of the hottest rising acts with the debut Vera. Now they are on track to become one of our biggest electronic exports with this superb sophomore release.

Gifted visual artist, songwriter and musician PARKER has today announced her iridescent new single Can’t Keep Waiting, a once-in-a-lifetime song, one that soundtracks a grand leap into the unknown and away from everything comfortable and safe, set for release today, October 4. PARKER has also announced a cinematic video clip to accompany the track, made in collaboration with director and technology artist Jaymis Loveday (Emma Louise, Ball Park Music) and sculptor Briony Law. PARKER has just completed an artist residency at Sawtooth ARI gallery alongside drawer and sculptor Jo Lane, in order to prepare their upcoming exhibition You, Me and that Other Thing, an exploration into human connection. The official opening of You, Me and that Other Thing will take place today, Friday October 4 from 6PM at Sawtooth ARI in Tasmania (running for one month), and will include a screening of the Can’t Keep Waiting video clip.

Can’t Keep Waiting is transcendental, meditative; at times it feels almost ambient, with heavy, industrial percussion and repetitive synth patterns. But one thing that pulls the track into a truly close, emotive space is PARKER’s soft, intimate yet commanding voice. Evocative of Massive Attack and the lyrical and vocal prowess of Lana Del Rey, Can’t Keep Waiting is epic and overflows with the power of primal human emotion. “Can’t Keep Waiting is about gathering the courage to be honest with myself. It’s about letting go of all that is safe and familiar in life in order to evolve and grow,” explains Parker. “I believe it’s in the moments when we feel completely lost that we find the opportunity to discover something new about ourselves. Nothing is permanent, everything can change.Each moment we have the ability to create ourselves anew.”

Already receiving multiple accolades, including Best Concept at Clipped Music Video Festival in Sydney, Best Music Video at the Los Angeles Film Awards, New York Film Awards and Top Shorts, not to mention selection for screening at the Austria International Film Festival, the clip for Can’t Keep Waiting is a triumph of a true marriage between sound, visual art, and cinema. Made by PARKER, in collaboration with Jaymis Loveday and Briony Law, the clip sees clay mounds, turning gracefully to human forms, dissolving in a deep-seascape with very little light from above. PARKER displays a clear and intricate understanding of her art, as she describes the clip, “The clip concept for this song was born out of a video installation work I made called Dissolving Self.Dissolving Self was a projection installation of a video art work.The video was a of a clay cast of my face dissolving in water set on a loop that made it look like it was falling apart and then rebuilding. I showed the work to my friend Jaymis Loveday and he suggested we make an extension of the work by creating full body casts and miniature models using a larger tank and cinematography techniques in the filming. Brisbane based sculptor Briony Law worked closely with me on the sculpting of the plaster landscapes and made all of the body casts and moulds for us to create the figures.”

You, Me and that Other Thing is the title of the upcoming exhibition that will see PARKER and Jo Lane explore the many facets of human connection. The exhibition will consist of three parts: historic works where inspiration has already manifested, a transition piece, and the work from an experimental performance of unity. PARKER and Jo Lane have spent the last two weeks in residency at Sawtooth ARI, working side by side in a dedicated studio space where the exhibition will take place. Giving her audience a taste of what to expect from the exhibition, PARKER enthuses, “We will create a body of work together around the theme of human connection combining Jo’s skills in drawing and sculpting and mine in sound and video. The Exhibition will combine a collection of our existing works and the new work we make during the residency.”

PARKER is Tash Parker.

Can’t Keep Waiting is set for release today, October 4 and the You, Me and that Other Things exhibition will take place today at Sawtooth ARI at 6pm (October 4)

One of the things I love best about the Melbourne music scene is there are certain bands you look at and think yup, only in Melbourne would you see that. The Rebelles are one of those groups. 15 singers that sound like a classic all girl 60s group with a punk attitude and wearing matching outfits, tell me where else you gonna see that? Backed with a rocking four piece band, the Rebelles are truly a gem that everyone can find someone they enjoy. One of the many singers Kitty Rebelle took time to talk Spector, outfits and the awesomeness of girl groups.

Munster: The Rebelles are a pretty unique band, kinda an only in Melbourne band, how did it all come about?

Kitty: it was about ten years ago. Bob D Rebelle and Rhonda Rebelle who are two of our cofounders and creative brains behind the band got together and had this idea of an onstage representation of Phil Spectors Wall of sound and part of that is aving a huge vocal presence. We ave layered and lush harmonies. That’s where its came from and we/ve gotten together over time people ave come and gone but we/ve always had that girl group sound.

Munster: Its an amazing sound is it 15 singers in the band?

Kitty: yes but we also ave bench as well you can imagine getting people to gigs is a logistical thing. We ave 15 singers at anyone gig and a four piece band as well.

Munster: when recruiting a new member what do you look for, I take singing isn/t the only requirement?

Kitty: we do a lot of harmonies so vocal range is important but also personality is big part of the band as we bring girl group rebellion to the stage and you got ave personality a bit of fun gotta shake your hips. That’s part of what we look for in a new Rebelle when we/re on the hunt.

Munster: What process went into recording the LP you made last year?

Kitty: we recorded at Sound Park studio with Idge, would like to give him a big shout out as he played a great role in dealing with all the logistics. We record in section usually the band goes first so we ave a guide then we/ll get the singers in. Sometimes we/ll go in with a big group or go in sections. We believe bigger is better I guess we keep adding more to the band we had guest musos from the Ska Vendors and a few extra guitars and Rhonda playing organ and had more friends in the studio. Idge turned round during the recording and said “gosh the more we add to this the better it sounds” so we really took that to heat.

Munster: the band you ave on stage is made up of blokes was that intentional for balance?

Kitty: Yeah we ave had women in the band as well we had Stick Rebelle on drums and we had two blokes on drums we had Thumper of ex Bitter Sweet Kicks fame and we now ave Bam Bam. Its not by design but it has worked out great quite visually. The boys always look amazing in their sharp suits provides a nice bit of balance but we want that girl band sound on the vocals hence the girl singers.

Munster: you mentioned the Spector girl band sound which comes through but I also hear a touch of the Ramones and the Cramps.

Kitty: Yep absolutely. We love that punk energy so you know theres that beautiful harmonic sound fo the girl groups that we/ve talked about but we also love that rocky garage edge and with punk energy. Our new single 1 2 3 4 GO is a huge nod to the Ramones you can hear the influence in that in lyrics and sound.

Munster: So what process would go into a Rebelles song?

Kitty: its quite a collaborative process. People get together for a jam and work on a sound there liking. Some might workshop lyrics or a feel for the song, it is very collaborative, some might just add a line or two its is a very cohesive process that goes into making all these tracks.

Munster: so when it comes to the singers I like the fact theres no star, so is it kinda an all in effort or are there times when someone might sit out or take a backseat role?

Kitty: we never ave solos we do work very much as a group and being apart of that is the blend. You listen to all these girl group records and you hear these beautiful vocal blend in together and part of trying to recapture that on stage is always being very conscious of your fellow singers. And making sure your tones blend in and being conscious when your section has a lead or your backing. So we do a lot of that manually and it means being sensitive to what other band members are doing. It’s a really nice part of singing together.

Munster: Aside from the Rebelles what else ave you do musically?

Kitty: well my background I ave done some gospel singing, in the past I did musicals at school. Musically our influences in the Rebelles are really common and exploring trying to bring an edge and modernizes from our influence and ad a Melbourne edge. For example Spanish Fitzroy takes a lot of parts we like about Fitzroy with a garage taste into the modern Melbourne setting.

Munster: With so many members is it hard arranging gigs or studio time?

Kitty: not really its all worked out magically. Its one of the wonderful things bout this band. In smaller bands ive heard of conflict amounts band members but with us theres none of that here its all worked very nice.

Munster: the video for 1 2 3 4 GO was a great tour guide of Melbourne how did that come about?

Kitty: Yeah that was a classic example of the great collaborative process. It’s a bit of a story that plays out of a bunch of us trying to find our gig. We went out with a bunch of cameras and went to a bunch of different locations. I went to Luna Park that day we kinda snuck in and stood in front of the rides. It’s a great mini tour of Melbourne and it ends with us meeting at the same place for a gig.

Munster: With the costumes do you ave a standard designer you use?

Kitty: we come up with a design we/d like to see and we/ve been helped out by a few designers who make the costume to order. The visual element is a big part of what we do. The red and black the jet black hair and river of black eyeliner and red lipstick it’s a big part of what we bring to the stage and we/ve had a lot of great designers brining that to the stage.

Munster: What does the rest of the year hold?

Kitty: Bigger and better gigs aiming for a Christmas gig. You can find gigs at www. rebelles.com.au

Winabago club at the Sk Kilda RSL is our next gig on the 19th June, and arvo gig

We would like to do some festivals and we are made for a big stage we wanna do bigger and better.

Munster: And favorite Fall LP if there is one?

Kitty: sorry can/t help. What would you recommend to start?

Munster: Code Selfish is good start.

The Rebelles launch their new double A side single 1-2-3-4 Go! / Spanish Fitzroy at the Winnebago Lounge, upstairs of St Kilda RSL on Sunday 19th June. Free entry.

Indie newcomer Rya Park has today announced her eerie debut single Billy, a seriously catchy, name-and-shame of a track (out October 6), and she’s also dropped a video to accompany Billy; simple, sultry, and dangerous, made in collaboration with director Dan Howe of Set To Suite. She will be showcasing Billy and more tunes off her highly anticipated EP in her first run of shows hitting Oxford Arts Factory Gallery on November 4 and The Evelyn on November 9.

The intriguing Billy prompts a couple of questions…who is Billy? And what exactly did he do? None of them are answered, but that only makes you want to listen again. Rya Park draws upon influences such as Florence and The Machine and PJ Harvey here, yet maintains a spellbinding charm that is uniquely hers. The mysterious narrative is delivered with a raised eyebrow and a flawless vocal; a memorable performance that sits comfortably atop a sparse arrangement of gritty guitar and textural percussion. Reflecting on the track, Rya Park explains, “The song was inspired by a relationship that ended without explanation. The lyrics intensely focus on a range of emotions that stemmed from the situation. A long time had passed when I got to writing the song, but there were still so many unanswered questions and I just wanted to get everything out onto the page and not hold back.”

The clip for Billy is concise and effective; Rya Park sits by herself, retelling the story of Billy and reflecting on what went wrong. Everything is laid out on the table; it’s impossible to look away as each line hits harder than the last. Rya Park is scorned, still in the light of day but dancing slowly in the dark. Of the collaboration with director Dan Howe, she says, “As this is the first videoclip I’ve made, it was really important to me to find someone who was on the same page as me. Dan had seen me perform a number of times and knows my songs really well, so it was really natural and easy for us to figure out what we wanted to create. In our first meeting we agreed that we would focus on generating a mood rather than depicting a storyline.”

Rya Park will be heading up the east coast to celebrate the release of Billy, and although this is her first official release, she is no stranger to the stage, fronting Melbourne’s Tempus Sun as well as performing as Rya Park since 2016. Giving fans a little taste of what to expect from the shows, she says, “My live shows are very energetic and dramatic. My full band is coming on tour with me so fans can definitely expect electrifying guitars, powerful rock beats, soulful harmonies and soaring vocals.”

Billy will be released on October 6 and tickets to the shows are on sale now.

Newcastle Indie Electro artist Foemen recently released his new single and video Bones.

The single was recorded with award winning producer Dave Hammer, who has worked with the likes of Lime Cordiale, Ro, Thundamentals and Tuka.

Foemen creates a catchy brand of Synthwave music that draws inspiration from pivotal soundtracks from the 80’s such as Terminator and Blade Runner.

“Bones is ironically about an apocalyptic world not to far from reality. Nods towards the terminator & Blade Runner & Tron. The lyrics can be left up to interpretation, although the song creates a cold, dark landscape & along with video shows clips of a human perhaps being created or manufactured (purpose built) for the current world in which it is set. “How did you know, im buried in bones” hints a humorous attempt that each person created is becoming more & more alike.” – Foemen

Keep an eye on this talented songwmith, as he has a busy release schedule ahead for 2020.

Bones is available on all major online stores.

FOEMEN: New Single ‘Bones’ was last modified: April 22nd, 2020 by ThatWriterGuy

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The "big" band in the first issue of Buzz Magazine was NOT The Big Pop Monsters (aka Superheist) but The Buzzards, a very popular surf grunge band on Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula. The Buzzards drew huge crowds in the pre-pokies pubs of the era.